Watch glass for a shaped case



Nov. 15, 1960 E. MORF WATCH GLASS FOR A SHAPED CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet l r m .m w I Er-hesf Nov-F Filed Dec. 15, 1959 Nov. 15, 1960 E. MO'RF 2,959,912

WATCH GLASS FOR A SHAPED CASE Filed Dec. 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WATCH GLASS FOR A SHAPED CASE Ernest Morf, Beauregard 15, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Filed Dec. 15, 1959, Ser. No. 859,732

Claims priority, application Switzerland June 19, 1959 Claims. (CI. 58-91) This invention relates to watch glasses for shaped Several types of glasses have alread been proposed for shaped cases and in particular for watertight shaped cases. These known glasses have, however, a relatively intricate form and they cannot be mounted easily. Moreover these glasses do not always ensure a satisfactory tightness of the watch case.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a glass of the type indicated above, which can be fixed to the watch case in an absolutely tight manner.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a glass of the type indicated above for a shaped case having a narrow bezel part.

Still further objects of this invention will become apparent in the course of the following description.

One embodiment of the glass according to the invention is represented diagrammatically and by way of ex ample in the drawings annexed to this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan. view of a square wrist-watch case provided with a glass according to said embodiment;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of said case with a part in section along line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a part sectional view thereof along line III- III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a part of the glass, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of two glass parts somewhat removed from one another.

The glass represented in the drawings is arranged for mounting on a square wrist-watch case. Figs. 1 to 3 show that this case comprises a case band 1, a bottom 2 and a bezel 3. The case band 1 is formed in one piece with the bottom 2 and it carries moreover the lugs 4 by means of which both ends of a wrist band can be attached to the watch case. While the outer side face of case band 1 has a square shape, the inner face 5 thereof forms a circular lodging to receive a similarly shaped watch movement. Above this lodging for the watch movement formed by the cylindrical face 5, the case band 1 comprises a second annular lodging 6, the side face 7 of which is also cylindrical and extends coaxially to the watch case as well as to face 5. This side face 7 of case band 1 extends in part on an annular axial projection 8 the outer face of which is undercut to form a retaining surface. The portions of this undercut outer face extending outside the glass, along the four sides of the Watch case (Fig. 1) serve as holding means for the bezel 3.

The watch glass suiting this watch case comprises two pieces of transparent material shown in particular in Fig. 5. The first one of these pieces is constituted by a frame 9 shown in Fig. 4 and the second one of said pieces is constituted by a cap 10. This latter piece has the same shape as the Watch case and its side wall 11 enters the bezel opening (Figs. 2 and 3) and it completely fills this opening. This cap piece has thus a atet O flange 14 (Fig. 4).

2,959,912 Patented .Nov. 15, 1 960 form analogous to that of a usual shaped glass the up per face of which can for instance be plane and the lower face concave.

The frame 9 has a more intricate shape. It comprises a lower portion forming a circular cylindrical sleeve 12 fitting the projection 8 of case band 1 as shown in particular in Figs. 2 and 3. A strengthening metal ring 13 is located in sleeve 12 in order to press the latter radially against the cylindrical face 7 of case band 1, while establishing thus a tight closure between frame 9 and case band 1. This tight joint is of course of exactly the same type as with the usual circular watch cases comprising a glass with strengthening ring.

Besides said lower portion forming sleeve 12, the frame 9 also comprises an upper portion formed by a square The outer face of this flange 14 fits the wall 11 of cap .10 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The respective sizes of sleeve 12 and flange 14 are chosen in such a manner that sleeve .12 extends outside flange 14 along the side facesof the glass, whereas the flange 14 extends outside sleeve 12 near the corners of the glass. Figs. 1 and 2 show that the segment shaped portions 18 of frame 9 are covered by the bezel 3. Moreover, the sleeve portions passing within the corners of flange 14 are covered by frame 9. To render these portions of sleeve 12 and especially the corresponding portions of the strengthening ring 13 invisible through the cap 10 and the frame 9, which is also made of transparent material, the upper face 15 of flange 14 is made opaque by means of a metal layer '16. This layer can be constituted either by a metal deposit formed on face 15 for instance by evaporation under vacuum or by an independent stamped piece. Fig. 1 shows that this layer 16 can 'be formed with horal indices 17 forming part of :thedivisions of the watch dial.

Besides the segment shaped portions 18 extending outside flange 14 along the side faces of the glass, the frame 9 also comprises the portions 19 extending outside the flange 14 in its corners. The upper face 20 of these portions 19 is flush with the upper face of segments 18 so as to form all round the flange 14 a perfectly plane basis on which the lower face of wall 11 of the cap 10 can tightly lay. This cap element 10 is fixed to the frame 9 by gluing its wall 11 on to the said base. This gluing operation can be efliected by known liquid products which have the property of establishing a watertight seal between the two pieces glued on to one another. The metallic layer 16 must of course be set onto frame 9 before the cap element 10 is glued thereonto.

As soon as pieces 9 and 10 have been glued on to one another, the glass obtained can be handled like the usual one-piece glasses. Setting its sleeve 12 together with the strengthening ring 13 into lodging 6 of the case band 1 closes this case band as tightly as the circular glasses provided with a circular strengthening ring close the usual circular watch cases.

The bezel 3 has principally an esthetic function. It can however serve as a safety to prevent the glass from jumping out of its lodging 6, for instance when the watch is subjected to an impact. Although the visible glass portion is square and although this glass is fixed to the case band by a circular sleeve, the bezel 3 can nevertheless be made very narrow, since the metallic layer 16 hides the circular glass sleeve as well as the strengthening ring in the corners of the watch case.

To remove the glass from the case band 1, the bezel 3 must be first taken away and a knife blade for in.- stance can then be introduced under the frame portions of the glass extending beyond the projection 8 of the case band in the glass corners (Fig. 3). By acting successively under every glass corner in the manner dc scribed the glass can be removed from the case band without any risk of damage.

A circular dial plate 21 can be fixed on to the watch movement (not shown) so as to enter the strengthening ring 13. Moreover, when the metallic layer 16 is constituted by an independent stamped metal piece, it can even extend somewhat within the glass sleeve 12 (Fig. 3), so as to cover the outer edge of the dial 21 and to hide any gap between this dial and the glass.

Although the glass described must be set in place after the hands (not shown), it is nevertheless possible to choose the latter so that their points pass above a part of the divisions appearing on layer 16 along the flat sides of the case. The minute or sweep second hands can indeed be as long as half the diagonal of the square defined by the opening of frame 9. These hands can of course be along said diagonal, when the glass is fixed on to the case band 1.

Although one embodiment of the inventiton has been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be observed that various changes in the shape, sizes and arrangement of parts could be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A watch glass for shaped cases comprising in combination a cap element formed with a peripheral and axially extending Wall portion having a shape corresponding to that of the case, and a frame definitely fixed to said cap element and formed With a lower and with an upper part, said lower part constituting a circular cylindrical sleeve arranged for establishing a tight seal with a corresponding watch case portion and said upper part comprising an axially extending projection having a shape corresponding to that of said wall portion and fitting the latter.

2. The watch glass as claimed in claim 1, said circular cylindrical sleeve carrying a metallic strengthening ring fitting the inner wall of said sleeve to press it radially against a corresponding watch case face.

3. The watch glass as claimed in claim 1, said frame comprising an outer flange around said axially extending projection, said flange having a plane upper face, and said wall portion of the cap element having a plane lower edge in contact with said frame upper face and definitely and tightly fixed thereonto.

4. The watch glass as claimed in claim 1, said circular cylindrical sleeve having portions passing within said axial wall portion of the cap element in the corners thereof, said frame having a portion with an upper face extending within said axial wall portion and above said cylindrical sleeve and a metallic layer covering said frame portion upper face to hide said sleeve portions passing within said cap element wall portion.

5. In a watch glass for a square case comprising a square case band having a circular glass lodging with cylindrical lateral face in its upper portion, the combination of: a square cap element formed with a peripheral square and axially extending wall portion; a frame formed with a lower and with an upper part, said lower part being constituted by a circular cylindrical sleeve fitting said watch case lodging and said upper part comprising a square axially extending projection fitting said wall portion of the cap element; a peripheral flange surrounding said axial frame projection and having a plane upper face, said wall portion having a plane lower edge tightly glued on to said frame flange upper face; and a strengthening ring located in said sleeve to press it radially against said cylindrical lateral face of the glass lodging.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 253,751 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1948 289,112 Switzerland June 16, 1953 301,496 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1954 

